Electric arc can incinerator

ABSTRACT

An electric arc, can incinerator, consisting of a receptacle having a liquid therein, and means to charge and discharge the receptacle with the liquid. A cylinder is rotatable in the receptacle, and is partly submerged in said liquid, the cylinder having dielectric end walls and a plurality of closely spaced electrodes, each of substantially wedge shaped cross section. A power supply imparts opposite polarity to adjacent electrodes.

United States Patent [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS [72] Inventor Paul J. Johnson 1597 Allen Road, Milan, Mich. 48160 9 90 oowoofi B B9w 9 9 1912 2 2 a a m m .l uc fl TN-Ma MGDJD 09323 02566 99999 11111 22432 I 490059 2 546 ,3 29 2 475 4032 67 6 O 233 ml 7 99 l 0 .11 5 ib e NFM Q d N m L n wm fla AFP 1 .11] 25 224 [ill Primary Examiner-R. F. Staubly Attorney-Edward M. Apple [54] ELECTRIC ARC CAN INCINERATOR 1 Claim 5 Drawing Flgs' ABSTRACT: An electric arc, can incinerator, consisting of a U-S. Clnu"...u.0............u....-............-........ n5 to charge and cylinder is rotata- 219/69 M, receptacle having a liquid therein, and mea D, 219/69 E,

discharge the receptacle with the liquid. A

219/69 V ble in the receptacle, and is partly submerged in said liquid,

the cylinder having dielectric end walls and a plurality of y wedge shaped H05b 7/ l8 closely spaced electrodes, each of substantiall cross section. A power supply im jacent electrodes.

parts opposite polarity to ad- PATENTEUnm 19 an 3,614,367

P401 J Jam/50M ATTORNEY ELECTRIC ARC CAN INCINERATOR This invention has reference to a can incinerating device, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,027,445, and has particular reference to an improved cylinder and other improvements for such a device.

An object of the invention is to improve the structure of the device disclosed in the above named patent.

Another object of the invention is to provide the rotating cylinder with improved electrodes, which are constructed and arranged so that the intermittent arcs are more rapidly and effectively formed between the electrodes and the cans within the cylinder.

Another object of the invention is to improve the structure of the cylinder and its associated parts, so that the same may be rotated in a bath of water, or other suitable liquid, whereby to minimize the formation of smoke and other atmosphere polluting elements which might otherwise result from the disintegration of the cans.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for trapping and disposing of metal residue and other deleterious products, which may result from the disintegrating process.

Another object of the invention is to provide a continuously changing liquid bath for the rotating cylinder, which liquid bath washes away the products of the can disintegration, and serves to cool the mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved electrodes for the device, which are formed with comparatively smooth outside surfaces, and serrated or undulating inside surfaces, which serrations or undulations improve the arc forming capacity of the electrodes, the better to disintegrate the cans.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rotor of the character indicated which is constructed with dielectric end plates, which are recessed to receive the ends of the electrodes.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved rotor, having at least one dielectric end plate, upon which is received a pair of sliprings, which are electrically connected to the electrodes of the cylinder and to a power source, and arranged to provide opposite polarity to pairs of adjacent electrodes.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds, reference being made from time to time to the accompanying drawing, forming part of the within disclosure, in which drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the improved rotor shown mounted for rotation in a liquid bath.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the rotor per se, with parts broken away, and parts in section, to illustrate the relation of elements.

FIG. 3 is an end view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of F IG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a section taken substantially on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, side elevational view of one of the improved electrodes, and illustrating the smooth outer surface and the undulating, or serrated, inside surface of the electrode.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, it will be understood that in the embodiment herein disclosed, the reference character 7 indicates in general the improved rotor or cylinder, which is mounted for rotation with a shaft 8,

which is rotated by sprocket 8A or other suitable means, by means of a motor not shown. The shaft 8 rotates in suitable bearings 9, supported by the end walls of the water tight receptacle 10, which is provided with a sump 11, water inlet 12, and water outlet 13, which communicates as at 14, with a filter member 15.

The rotor, or cylinder 7, is supported at either end within the receptacle 10 by means of pairs of rollers 16 (FIGS. 2 and 4). A water level 17 is maintained in the receptacle 10, so that approximately the lower half of the cylinder 7 is always submerged, so that the metal cans 17A are covered with water during the disintegration process, as hereinafter described.

It will be understood, that the rotor 7 and the water receptacle 10, and their associated elements, will be housed in a suitable housing, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,027,445, previously issued to me, so that any residue of smoke, steam, and gases, resulting from the disintegration process, may be drawn off and disposed of as described in my previous patent. It will also be understood, however, that because the disintegration of the metal cans takes place under water, there will be little, if any, smoke, fumes, gases, or other pollutants to enter the atmosphere, as most of the residue of the operation will be washed into the sump 11, and hence to the filter 15, from which the solids will be removed. Running the rotor 7 under water, which is constantly being replenished, also cools the device and permits it to be operated at a comparatively low temperature.

The device functions to disintegrate the metal cans, substantially as previously described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,027,445, but I have greatly improved the construction and the operation of the device, with the improvements herein described.

The improved cylinder is constructed of a plurality of electrodes 18, which are preferably made of a highly conductive material, such as'carbon, or copper. The electrodes 18 are closely spaced along the peripheries of the end members 19 and 20,-which are recessed, as shown in FIG. 2, to receive the ends of the electrodes. The end members 19 and 20 and the electrodes 18, may be held against displacement by means of a plurality of tie rods 21, which extend from end to end of the device or by other suitable means. The end members 19 and 20 are made of a dielectric material, such as hard fiber or other suitable material. A pair of conductive sliprings 22 and 23 are received in suitable recesses formed in the outer face of the member 19. Each slipring 22 and 23 is connected to one of the electrodes 18, in a manner similar to that disclosed in my previous U.S. Pat. No. 3,027,445. Every other one of the electrodes 18 is connected to the sliprings 22, and the remaining electrodes are connected to the slipring 23, so that there is always opposite polarity between the adjacent electrodes, as previously described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,027,445. The sliprings 22 and 23 are connected to the electrical power circuit 24 through suitable brush members 25 and 26, which are mounted on an arm 27, which is supported in any suitable manner on the receptacle 10 (FIG. 1).

One of the important'features of this invention resides in the construction of the individual electrodes 18. As shown in FIG. 5, each electrode 18 has an outside face 28, which is comparatively smooth, whereas the inside face 29 is provided with a plurality of serrations 30, which may take the shape of the teeth as on a rack, or gear, or any other suitable shape, and I prefer to stagger the position of the elements 30 from one electrode to the other. I have found that this construction acts in the nature of capacitors and greatly facilitates the formation of intermittent arcs between the cans 17A and the electrodes, as the cylinder 7 is rotated, and the cans are tumbled about on 5 the interior of the cylinder. Every time one of the cans 17A falls across a pair of the electrodes 18, arcs are generated between the can and the electrodes of sufficient intensity, to disintegrate the metal comprising the cans. As the metal is disintegrated, it forms a powdery slag, which is washed away'by the water in the receptacle 10, through the sump 11, and the filter 15.

It is believed that the operation of the device is obvious from the foregoing description.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a receptacle having a liquid therein, means to charge and discharge said receptacle with said liquid, a cylinder rotatable in said liquid, the walls of said cylinder consisting of a plurality of closely spaced electrodes, each having a substantially wedge shaped cross section, the outer face of each electrode being smooth and the inner face of each electrode being uneven, the end walls having sliprings thereon, which rings are connected to a power source and to said electrodes and arranged to impart opposite polarity to adjacent electrodes. 

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a receptacle having a liquid therein, means to charge and discharge said receptacle with said liquid, a cylinder rotatable in said liquid, the walls of said cylinder consisting of a plurality of closely spaced electrodes, each having a substantially wedge shaped cross section, the outer face of each electrode being smooth and the inner face of each electrode being uneven, the end walls having sliprings thereon, which rings are connected to a power source and to said electrodes and arranged to impart opposite polarity to adjacent electrodes. 